Holiday Ball
by bloomingfelton
Summary: The Malfoy's annual Holiday Ball is coming up and it is said to be the biggest social event since the downfall of Voldemort. Everyone who is anyone is invited and it is rumored that the Potter boys are going to be there. So what's Hermione going to do? AU
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **Most of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling but with a few that I have created as well. The plot is one of my original ideas since this has sorta happened to me, not the entire story but most of it.

**Author's Note:** Hermione is 17 in the story and Harry is 19. Also it is **very** AU.

**And this is why:**

Hermione has two siblings- Jackson (22) that is married to Meredith Malfoy (18) and Anne (20) who is married to Luke Carthier (20). And although she was born in England she lives in France and goes to Beauxbatons Academy

Harry's parents are alive. And Harry has an older brother Andrew (21) but Voldemort still came after Harry due to the prophecy.

Draco Malfoy and his family are on the Light side and Draco is married to Ginny Weasley (19). He also has a younger sister Meredith (18) who is married to Jackson Granger.

The entire Weasley family is pretty much the same. Except for the fact that Ronald is engaged to Luna Lovegood (18) and Ginny is married to Draco Malfoy.

The Delacour family is also mentioned. And their names are: Jean-Paul and Maugerite Delacour (parents). Fleur and Bill Weasley are married and Fleur's little sister Gabrielle (17) is best friends with Hermione.

**My own characters:**

Hermione's best friend, Molly Cline (17) and her parents, Marcus and Patricia Cline.

Hermione's other best friend, Danielle Carthier (17) and her brother Luke Carthier (20) who is married to Anne Granger.

* * *

**The Holiday Ball**

**By bloomingfelton**

**Chapter One: Dear Diary**

_Dear Diary,_

_Christmas was one of those holidays where all I wanted to do was sit on the couch eat the house-elves famous Christmas cookies, and watch muggle Christmas movies all Christmas Eve day. Then when evening would finally come around, I would change into my comfiest night gown and lay under the multi-colored blinking lighted Christmas tree in the second floor study until it would be time to fall asleep. However, that was never the case. Every year since I could remember, Mum and Dad would get my brother, sister, and me all dressed up for Christmas mass then we would go straight to the Malfoy's manor for their infamous Holiday Ball. And every year I detested it._

_When I was very small, I remember being dropped off in the play room at the Malfoy manor so that Mum and Dad could go to the party without the interference of us kids. I remember always playing around with Gabrielle Delacour. We ended up going to Beaxbatons together and becoming best friends with Danielle Carthier and Molly Cline. Every Christmas Eve, Gabrielle and I would play around and eventually fall asleep a long time before the party ended. When Gabrielle did not come to the party some years I would normally tag along with my older brother, Jackson, or my sister, Anne. We used to stick together until they became too old to hang out with the "babies" and were allowed into another room at the Malfoy manor for older children. At eleven, my parents dropped me off in the room for older children in the Malfoy manor. And finally at sixteen, I was allowed to actually join the party with a fancy dress. _

_But I had detested it, every year until last year. Last year was the year that my twenty year old sister Anne Granger became engaged and married to my best friend's (Danielle Carthier) older brother, Luke. That was also right before last year's Holoday Ball meaning Luke and Luke's family – but I was mainly excited about my best mate Danielle – would be invited to the ball. Therefore meaning I would have someone to talk to because Gabrielle was never there because five years ago, the Delacour family went to Germany for Christmas._

_From then on, my luck progressed. This year I was allowed to invite a friend and her family with me. So naturally, I chose my other best friend Molly Cline. And to make matters even better, Gabby and her family were not going to Germany for Chirstmas, meaning that she too would be coming to the holiday ball._

_That Christmas break before the ball, the four of us made a pact that each of us would start some sort of relationship, other than friendship, with a boy because none of us had many relationships. This Christmas was going to be wonderful. It had started snowing very early, midexams at Beauxbatons were amazingly easy, and I had convinced my parents to get a Christmas tree for the study near my room – the muggle way. It was going to be a fantastic Christmas break._

_Always with love,_

_Hermione Jane Granger _


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Most of the characters belong to J.K. Rowling but with a few that I have created as well. The plot is one of my original ideas since this has sorta happened to me, not the entire story but most of it.

**The Holiday Ball**

**by bloomingfelton**

**Chapter 2: A Marvelous Dress**

"Hermione! Hermione, come back to earth." Fingers snapped in front of Hermione's face.

"Sorry, Danielle, what were you saying?" Hermione asked as she looked up to Danielle Carthier standing in front of a huge mirror holding up two beautiful dress robes in her hands.

"I was asking you which one you thought looks better? Brown or red?"

Hermione paused. The brown was not the same color as Danielle's beautiful straight Brown hair but the red looked wonderful.

"The red one. Definitely."

Two other girls giggled. "'Dat took 'vou very long to decide, Hermione. 'Vou seem to 've distracted," Gabrielle Delacour stated then giggled again.

"I guess I am a little excited for the ball," Hermione answered.

Hermione, Danielle Carthier, Molly Cline, and Gabrielle Delacour had been friends ever since their first year at Beaubaxtons. The four had been inseparable for years except when Gabby was taken to Hogwarts, another wizarding school, for the Triwizarding Tournament. But Gabby returned a month later with stories about how _the_ Harry Potter had saved her from the merepeople and how Harry Potter escaped from the Dark Lord, Voldemort.

Ever since then, the four girls had been hooked on the "Potter Boys Craze." After learning about Harry Potter, the girls discovered that he had a brother, two years older, named Andrew. Andrew Potter was the ever-cocky beautiful boy that was always surrounded by millions of girls. He also had been nicknamed in numerous teen magazines as "the Sirius Black" of his generation and he definitely lived up to his title. On the other hand, Harry Potter surrounded himself with another group of people, his closest friends. They consisted of Ronald Weasley, Harry's best mate for life, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, and Pansy Parkinson. And then there was also Meredith Malfoy-Granger (Draco Malfoy's younger sister), Ginny Malfoy (Ronald Weasley's younger sister who married Draco Malfoy), and Luna Lovegood – all of which were a year younger than Harry.

This year, the four Beaubaxton girls were tremendously excited for the ball because it was rumored that the Potter family would finally be attending the Malfoy Holiday Ball. Every year, the Potter family was invited to the ball but could not go because of the threat of Voldemort. See, there was a prophecy containing the young Potter boys and Voldemort. It was supposively said that only Andrew and Harry Potter, together, could defeat Voldemort. And ever since the boys were born, Voldemort had been after them to kill them. Unfortunately for Voldemort, the boys were always protected by people who sacrificed their lives in order for the boys to survive. However, someway, Andrew and Harry ended the war and defeated Voldemort in September and were free to attend the party.

The other thing that made the girls even giddier was the fact that Hermione knew Harry Potter. Sort of. They had never met but she _sort of_ knew him. Last year when Hermione's older brother, Jackson, was twenty-one and in the Order of the Phoenix, he was reintroduced to a pretty seventeen-year-old blonde-haired girl named Meredith Malfoy who happened to the younger sister of Harry Potter's mate, Draco Malfoy. Jackson had known Meredith before because of her parents annual ball, but for some reason they finally hit it off and were married before the end of the war and few weeks before Luke and Anne's wedding. Harry Potter, of course because he was friends with Meredith and had known Jackson while working in the Order, was invited to the wedding. Unfortunately he was unable to attend because of Voldemort.

In addition, this year's ball was going to be the biggest social event since the end of the war. Everyone who was anyone was coming and it was rumored that the Potter boys would be attending. So naturally, the four friends were shopping in a very expensive wizarding shop for their dress robes. The girls had the store all to themselves thanks to Mr. Delacour, who had immense power in France and happened to be a friend of the shopkeeper. So convincing the owner to leave the store open one night to only his daughter and her friends for a couple hours was no problem.

Pulling Hermione from her dream world, two girls dragged her to the dressing room. It was tradition for the girls to pick out dress robes for each other before a major social event and Hermione was, once again, last to have her dress robes picked out by her friends. Molly shoved Hermione into the dressing room and thrusted three dresses into her hands. Hermione quickly glanced at the dress robes before closing the curtain.

"Aren't they a tad revealing?" she questioned her friends.

Molly answered quickly, "Now Hermione, don't be a prune! Don't you trust our judgement?"

"Never," Hermione replied teasingly as Molly scoffed and closed the curtains to the dressing room.

Hermione looked at the first dress and easily guessed that Gabby had picked it out because she loved blue dresses. This one was a sparkly midnight blue v-neck dress robe. There was also a vibrant red strapped dress robe and a strapless satin silk dress robe. Of course, Hermione tried on all three. The first two did nothing for her figure. But the third, wow, she looked spectacular.

"Third time's the charm," Hermione called out to her friends.

"Oh, oh. Come out and show us!" Danielle giggled excitedly.

Hermione took a deep breath, turned her eyes away from her reflection in the green dress robe, and opened the curtain only to be met with stunned silence.

It was a few seconds before anyone said anything until Molly sighed in disbelief, "My god, Hermione, you will have to beat the boys off with a stick."

Hermione laughed. This was definitely the best dress she had ever worn in her lifetime.

"'Vou are definitely 'vuing 'vat dress robe. No questions avout 'vit," Fleur said immediately.

Quickly, Hermione changed out of the dress robe and made her way to purchase the robe with her friends.

This year, they all had marvelous dresses. It was going to be a fabulous Holiday Ball.


	3. Chapter 3

**Holiday Ball**

**by bloomingfelton**

**Chapter 3: May I Have This Dance?**

"Hermione, we have to leave. Hurry up!" Hermione's mother Elizabeth Granger called from the parlor and her voice echoed up to Hermione's room.

"Jackson," Elizabeth Granger said turning to son when Hermione did not answer, "would you be a dear and gather your sister and bring her downstairs?"

Without an argument Jackson trudged upstairs, only to return with a bickering Hermione. Frustrated Jackson turned to his father about the problem.

"Father! _Please_ tell Hermione that she must change her dress," Jackson said to his father.

Henry Granger looked at his daughter's attire, "I agree young lady, rush upstairs and change immediately."

Hermione growled and set her hands on her hips. "Dad! Mother, please!"

"Now, Henry darling," Elizabeth Granger said as she turned to her husband, "the dress isn't revealing at all. It's just a bit tight and perfectly suitable. Hermione wears it very well."

"But Mum! She _will_ be jumped on by every male there!" Jackson argued.

Before Henry could agree, Elizabeth answered.

"Well then, Jackson, it is your job to make sure she isn't. And we are already late. There's nothing you can do now. We must go."

Hermione smiled, having won the battle, and placed her faux fur coat on before she stepped out of the house and into the lightly snow covered carriage awaiting them.

Hermione looked around the ball room, which was already filled with a large amount of people. It was beautiful. Everything sparkled and was either red, green, or silver. The Malfoys had definitely outdone themselves this year.

Sliding her arm into her father's, Hermione walked down the grand stairs to the ball room. Jackson and Meredith followed behind them then parted from Hermione and her parents to say hello to other guests. It was customary to greet guests as a family and since Hermione was neither a legal adult nor married, she had to stay with her parents until the dancing would start.

Hermione spotted Danielle standing with her parents and her brother Luke who had married Hermione's older sister, Anne, making Hermione and Danielle sisters-in-law. Hermione dragged her parents to say hello to the Carthiers. As soon as Danielle, in her beautiful red dress, saw Hermione, she rushed forward to embrace her friend.

"Hermione!" Danielle gushed. "You look great!"

"So do you," Hermione replied quickly.

"Couldn't stay away from your sister, eh, Hermione?"

Hermione whipped around to see her older sister, Anne. "Ohh Anne, I missed you!" Hermione said as she hugged her sister. It had been a while since they had last seen each other. Hermione had been finishing up her last year at school and a pregnant Anne had been planning for her first child with Luke.

"So, boy or girl?" Hermione asked excitedly.

"Girl," Anne answered with a huge smile on her face.

"Ahh! We're going to be aunts!" Hermione exclaimed while hugging Danielle excitedly.

"You girls look to old to be aunts," Luke said teasingly as he turned towards his wife. He spotted Hermione and let out a low whistle. "Sheesh, Hermione, you look down right shaggable." He received a playful swat from Anne and Hermione blushed red as Danielle mouthed 'shaggable' to Anne then the two burst out laughing. "I mean it! If I hadn't already fallen in love with, married, and started a family with your sister, I would totally suggest we run off together." If anything, Hermione blushed deeper as Luke grinned at his wife and Danielle let out a chuckle. Luke laughed and pulled Hermione into a bone crushing hug.

"The hair!" Hermione shrieked before Luke let her go. As soon as she situated herself, Danielle tapped Hermione on the shoulder.

"Guess who just arrived."

Hermione turned towards the grand staircase to recognize James and Lily Potter walking down arm in arm followed by two devilishly handsome boys in black dress robes and green capes. Hermione stared at Harry Potter, and as soon as she started watching him, he glanced up as if he could sense her looking at him and grinned. Hermione blushed and turned around only to be engulfed in a hug by Gabby and Molly.

"If I didn't know any better, I would say that you and Mr. Potter planned to match tonight," Molly said giggling as Hermione let out a nervous laugh.

"So," Gabby said changing the conversation, "guess 'vho already 'as a 'voy."

"Who?" Danielle asked excitedly as Molly turned a deep red.

"Yes, Molly! Who is he? How'd you meet?" Hermione quickly questioned Molly.

"Well," Molly said nervously, "you remember my neighbor, Brendan Larwood?"

Suddenly, the conversation turned to Molly's new crush, Brendan Larwood, then to the cover of that month's Wizard & Witch Weekly who happened to be Hermione's brother-in-law, Draco Malfoy. Slowly, the girls separated and left with their parents to greet other guests, leaving Hermione with her parents, Jackson, Luke, and Anne.

"Hello again, Lizzy and Henry." Hermione turned from her conversation with Anne to see Meredith with Harry Potter. She quickly looked at her friends who had huge smiles on their faces and made gestures to turn back to the conversation.

Meredith continued, "I would like to introduce to you, my very good friend Harry Potter. Harry, you know Jackson." Harry and Jackson clasped each other's hands in a friendly handshake. "This is Henry and Elizabeth Granger, and their eldest daughter, Anne with her husband, Luke Carthier, and their youngest daughter Hermione."

Harry reached out and shook Hermione's hand and Hermione did everything in her power to not blush. Unexpectedly, the music started just as Harry let go of Hermione's hand. Meredith and Jackson left them suddenly to start the ball with Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy and Draco Malfoy and Ginny already on the floor.

"Well," Luke said turning to Anne, "would you like to dance?"

Anne smiled and Luke led them to the dance floor leaving Hermione with her parents and Harry Potter. It was uncomfortably silent as Anne and Luke left.

"Excuse me, Hermione." Hermione turned back to Harry, who was addressing her. "May I have this dance?"

Before Hermione could stop herself from saying anything stupid she answered, "I would love to." Harry offered Hermione his arm and the two walked to the dance floor.

As soon as they reached the dance floor, Harry twirled her then pulled her close to start off the slow waltz.

"So, you're the infamous Hermione Granger," Harry said as he twirled her again. "I've heard many stories about you."

"I hope all good stories," Hermione said as she looked up to Harry's face.

"Some," Harry grinned.

Hermione groaned, "Remind me to kill Jackson."

Harry laughed, "I am only kidding. Most of them were about your unexpected use of magic as a child."

Hermione groaned even more. Stories about her floating cookies down the halls, suddenly appearing with clothing on during baths, floating Jackson's underwear in the kitchen when he had friends (cough girls) over, and exploding nearly half of everything in Jackson's room almost every week when Jackson teased her, were clearly embarrassing.

Harry laughed again, "They weren't that bad. I once set a snake on my muggle cousin, Dudley, then locked him in its cage while we were at the zoo. But, now that I think about it, that makes me seem like an angel compared to you"

Hermione smiled, "That makes me feel loads better."

"Anytime, - " but Harry was cut off by a large camera flash and Hermione had to blink a few times to see what happened.

"Harry Potter, who is this lovely lady? Are you two dating? When did you learn how to dance? This is clearly your first ball? Does it exceed expectations?"

There was another flash and both Harry and Hermione covered their eyes to block out the bright flashes.

"Excuse me." A very angry looking Mr. Malfoy had just appeared and was questioning the photographer. "All paparazzi are not allowed inside my house."

Harry turned Hermione away from Mr. Malfoy and started moving closer to the center of the ballroom.

"Sorry about that," Harry said to Hermione. "Normally, I avoid them at all costs."

"Don't worry. I am see why. I have yet to recover my eyesight," Hermione answered teasingly.

Harry grinned.

"So, Mr. Potter, when _did_ you learn these fantastic dance steps?" Hermione mockingly questioned him.

"Well, believe it or not," Harry started, "I never knew how to dance until yesterday."

"Really?" Hermione said looking up Harry's eyes. "I would never been able to tell unless you told me."

"It's true, Miss Granger," Harry answered. "Yesterday morning, while I was having the most pleasant dream, I was dragged out of bed by that brother of yours and his wife. And since yesterday's breakfast, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, my parents, Draco, Ginny, Jackson, and Meredith did everything in their power to pound dance steps into my brother's and my head." Harry paused. "Let's just say that I fell asleep early yesterday."

Hermione laughed, "Well, it seems you are a quick learner. Now, unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing for your brother."

Harry turned his head to see Andrew stepping all over his partner's feet. He grinned and turned back to Hermione. "Thank goodness, I am a quick learner."

Without notice, the music stopped and Hermione turned back to Harry.

"Well, thank you for this dance, Hermione." Harry said smoothly as her reached up and kissed her hand. "I'll see you later."

"Anytime," Hermione said blushing as Harry walked away and Hermione was quickly surrounded by her friends.

"Oh, Hermione, you lucky girl! What did you talk about?" Danielle asked quickly.

Hermione looked to Harry's retreating back.

"It's personal," she answered as she smiled, because it _was_ personal.


	4. Chapter 4

**Holiday Ball**

**by bloomingfelton**

**Chapter 4: That Would Be Lovely**

The night wore on as Hermione danced with many other men whose names mattered only for that dance and future reference. Hours passed and Hermione found herself dancing with a young man who she had coincidentally forgotten the name of and who kept droning on about his work in the ministry. At points, Hermione found herself nodding and agreeing at certain times when her input was needed. Halfway though the dance, Hermione spotted her brother-in-law, Draco Malfoy, approaching behind her partner. She smiled thankfully as he approached and tapped her partner on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, ah Landon Donovan, may I interrupt to have a dance with my sister-in-law?" Draco asked while grinning.

"Of course," Landon Donovan answered as he stepped aside and Hermione politely thanked him for the dance.

"Thank you!" Hermione said gratefully as soon as Landon was out of sight. "I was beginning to fall asleep."

Draco let out a chuckle. "As soon as I saw him ask you to dance, my wife and I both knew you were going to die of boredom. So here I am, your savior!"

"Your wife?" Hermione questioned as she looked at his left hand and, sure enough, saw a wedding band. "When did you get married?"

"Ah, I forgot I haven't seen you since last year's Holiday Ball. You do remember Ginny Weasley, correct?" Hermione thought for a second trying to remember Ginny then nodded.

Draco continued, "Well, I proposed shortly after New Year's and we had a very small wedding about a month ago."

"Why wasn't I told of this?" Hermione said smiling.

"Well you see," Draco started, "we've been sort of busy, if you catch my drift."

Hermione laughed. "Longer honeymoon than expected?"

Draco smirked. "Why don't I introduce you to the newest Malfoy?"

Hermione smiled as Draco led her to his wife standing out on the balcony with none other than Harry Potter.

"Ah, Potter," Draco announced to the two while approaching, "it seems you've met my wife."

Two heads turned at the voice and Hermione was immensely grateful that it was dark out on the balcony because as soon as Harry Potter spotted her, she felt herself turn bright red.

"Ah don't' worry, Draco, Harry and I were just talking," answered Ginny Malfoy.

Harry jokingly cut in. "About how to make murder to look like an accident. Do you have any ideas?"

Draco smiled at his wife but gave a stern look to Harry as Harry grinned back at him.

"Anyways," Draco began. "Ginny, I would like you to meet Hermione Granger, my sister-in-law. Why don't you girls do whatever you do best while Potter and I have a short friendly talk in the garden?"

"Of course," Ginny exclaimed, enthused by the idea. "Hermione, why don't we get something to drink."

Hermione nodded and was quickly led away without saying good-bye to both the boys, which disappointed her greatly.

After getting their drinks, the girls walked in silence until they reached the unoccupied balcony.

"So, Harry Potter," Ginny stated out of the blue.

The brunette whipped her head toward the red head, "Excuse me?"

"You like Harry Potter," continued Ginny in a slow Draco-like drawl. "It's pretty obvious.

"It is?" questioned Hermione. "Why? How?"

Ginny chuckled. "Let's see the first sign was that you couldn't take your eyes off of him a few minutes ago. But don't worry, it's nothing bad. I liked him when I was in about second year to sixth year and I was way more obvious than you. Unfortunately, he didn't realize that until my fifth year, when we started dating."

"You dated him? But, you married Draco."

"Well of course. We broke up at the end of my fifth, his sixth year, because of the war and I realized that I only loved him as a brother. That was about the times that I started to go out with Draco. So it worked out perfectly."

They continued to walk in silence and soon found themselves in the very spot that they had met with Draco and Harry. A light breeze blew and Hermione rubbed one of her arms to keep warm while thinking about what to say next.

"What about his other girlfriends? I never read found out anything about them and I didn't really trust the tabloids – all they tell is lies. Actually, it's not very good to read about people in the news, anyways, they - ."

Hermione was cut off by laughter and quietly admitted that she rambled when she was nervous.

Ginny chuckled, "Don't worry about. You have no ex-girlfriends to really worry about. There was me and before me there was Cho Chang, but I can hardly call Cho and ex-girlfriend since Harry was only her rebound for a very short time after the tri-wizarding tournament, when her long term boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, died.

"And you have almost nothing to worry about him not liking you. I can already tell he really likes you. Just watch out for the press – they can be brutal. And hopefully I a while I can welcome him to the – "

Ginny never got to finish her sentence because right then, Draco and Harry jogged up the stairs and approached the girls after placing a quick refreshing charm on themselves to clean themselves up.

"Quickly, inside," Draco said urgently to Ginny while offering his arm.

"What's going on?" Ginny asked a panting and out of breath Harry and Draco.

"We'll explain inside, quickly now," Draco answered.

Still breathing heavily, Harry offered Hermione his arm and took a few deep breaths while walking on to the dance floor right next to Draco and Ginny.

Ginny popped her head over just before they started dancing. "As I didn't finish before, Hermione, the word was 'family'."

Hermione blushed deep red as she remembered their conversation and Harry gave her a questioning look as she began her second dance with Harry Potter.

"What was that about?" Harry asked as they began to dance.

"Oh, nothing. Just something about our families," Hermione mentioned. Little white lies never hurt anyone. "What was the reason you pulled Ginny and I in here?"

"Ah, that. You see, we were walking in the garden having a 'friendly' chat as Draco likes to call it, and we saw Rita Skeeter and ran straight back."

"Rita – who?"

Harry groaned. "Rita Skeeter, she works for Witch Weekly and is the worst journalist ever. She tends to write up a bunch of lies about my family's and my life and the same with everyone else's. I tend to try to avoid her at all costs."

Hermione still had a confused look on her face. "So then why did you run in?"

"Well, if she saw Draco and I, alone, in the garden, away from Draco's own party, well, she might definitely get the wrong idea."

"Ahh," Hermione nodded. "So you get bad publicity all the time?"

"Normally only from her."

Before any of the two could say something else, a large flash light forced them to look away as they coughed from the smoke from the picture.

"So Harry Potter, your new girlfriend? I was told this was your second dance tonight. How long have you been going out? Wedding bells, maybe? Don't mind if I use a 'quick-quotes-quill', do you?" a sickly sweet voice automatically bombarded Harry and Hermione with questions.

"No comment," Harry said as he held Hermione's head close to his chest as once again, as they both were blinded by camera flashes for the second time that night.

Harry tried leading Hermione and himself out of the balcony again as they were still being bombarded with flashes and questions. As soon as Mr. Malfoy once again came to the rescue and forced Rita and her camera man out of the house, Harry and Hermione were alone on the balcony.

Hermione looked back to see Rita Skeeter questioning anyone that she passed while exiting the ball room. "Does that happen to you often?"

"Most of the time, which is normally why I tend to avoid very large events if I can." Harry looked out at the garden then back at Hermione who was still rubbing her arms to keep warm. Slowly, he took off his cape and fastened it around her shoulders as she muttered a quiet 'thank you'. Finally Harry broke the awkward silence, "Would you like to accompany me for a walk in the garden?"

Hermione looked at Harry still not believing that he actually had asked her that, then came to her senses. "Sure."

Harry offered his arm and Hermione took it as they began their walk in the garden. Friendly conversations about school and family seemed to go on forever as the night grew on. Hermione learned about Harry's hectic school life and frequent encounters with Voldemort as a child and Harry learned why Hermione was nicknamed 'the smartest witch' of their age.

Soon Harry and Hermione found themselves lost in the Malfoy's vast garden, but they didn't even realize it. Suddenly Hermione heard her name being called.

"Did you hear that?" she asked Harry. Harry quieted for a moment then heard the voice call both his and Hermione's name.

"I wonder who's looking for us. It can't be that late," Hermione stated as Harry looked at his watch.

"It's nearly midnight. We've been talking for about two hours." The voices called again and Harry recognized them as Draco and Ginny's.

"Oh gosh. The party must be ending." Hermione gathered her dress and started walking back the way they came, but Harry grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Wait," Harry said quickly. Hermione turned back and looked at him.

"Yes?"

"Well, I know you don't know me very well and the same goes for me knowing about you, but," Harry started rambling nervously.

"Yes?" Hermione questioned, hoping that he was going to ask what she though he was trying to say.

Harry paused and took a deep breath, "Well, I was wondering, maybe, could I see you again?"

Hermione smiled immensely while her insides were jumping for joy. Deciding to make a bold move, Hermione reached up and kissed him on the cheek, "That would be lovely."

Frozen leaves rustled as Draco and Ginny appeared.

"Ah, Harry, Hermione, there you two are. We were sent to find you. The Ball's ending and your family is getting ready to leave, Hermione. So if you would just come with me."

Hermione turned and started walking back with Ginny until she was once again stopped by Harry.

"Hermione, wait!"

Harry ran to catch up to her then as soon as he did, he reached out, grabbed her, and pressed his lips to hers in a passionate fashion. Hermione melted into the kiss.

Someone coughed behind them and Harry looked up to see a smirking and grinning Draco and Ginny Malfoy.

When Harry turned back to her, Hermione questioned him about giving back his cape.

"You keep it, love. I already have too many," Harry said in response.

Hermione gave him a quick peck on the lips before saying good-bye and turning back to return to the manor with Ginny.

Staring at her retreating back with Ginny, Draco approached Harry.

"You've got it bad, mate."

Harry just grinned.


	5. Chapter 5

**Holiday Ball**

**by bloomingfelton**

**Chapter 5: Oh, Diary**

_Oh, Diary,_

_I am so sorry I haven't written for years. I've been quite busy since that Holiday Ball where I met and, happy to say, fell in love with Harry James Potter. Since then, I have seen Harry a lot. I saw him for the second time at New Year's and very frequently throughout the year, when I wasn't finishing up school. But once or twice Harry showed up unexpected and the younger female students went into a frenzy. Let's just say that my professors were not pleased that We became quite close and I knew that I had found Mr.Right. _

_Then, just at last year's Holiday Ball, Harry proposed, in front of my entire family and friends and even the media. It was the amazing moment of my life. We were married a couple of days after Valentine's day, less than two months later. Now it is March and I have some very exciting news._

_I'm pregnant! About a month pregnant to be exact. Although, Harry doesn't know yet. Only my doctor and I know so far, but I have a feeling that the entire wizarding world will know tomorrow. I think after quiet, romantic dinner I will tell Harry everything thing._

_Just think. Nearly a year ago, a was still a seventh grade student at Beaubaxtons and now I am the wife of Harry Potter and mother to his child. It just feels like a dream, so surreal. Anyways, if it is a dream, I hope I never wake up._

_Always with love,_

_Hermione Jane Potter and Harry Potter's First Son_

_P.S. "And they all lived happily ever after. The End."_


End file.
